The Ondo State Government has set up a security joint task force to tackle security challenges facing the people of the state even as the state Amotekun corps said it had apprehended no fewer than 32 men suspected to be kidnappers in the state’s forests.
This came a few days after some suspected bandits unleashed terror on the state killing and kidnapping the people.
The hoodlums allegedly attacked the Aba Oyinbo community and shot dead the five farmers in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state community. The incident sparked off the protest in Akure, the state capital by the farmers. A few days before that incident some suspected herdsmen attacked four communities of Ademekun, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor and Aba Alajido, killing 14 farmers in the communities all in the same Akure North LG.
Speaking with journalists on the arrests on Sunday in Akure, the state Commander of the Amotekun corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that the task force set up by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa comprised all security agencies.
He said, “We want to reassure the residents of this state that they can continue their normal farming activities as the government has established a joint task force to stabilise the very remote areas of Akure North, where these nefarious activities take place. The government is also making efforts to open up the roads in the area such that quick response can occur in case of emergency.”
On the communities being attacked recently, Adeleye said, “We are all aware of the criminal activities that happened in the deep forest of Akure North Local Government Area of the state. The government had drafted a joint patrol team comprising the army, the police, the NSCDC and Amotekun men, and we’ve been able to restore normalcy to the Ago Oyinbo, Ago Dada, Ago Ademekun, Ago Sunday and its environs.
“Now, normalcy has been restored in the area and the government has directed that Amotekun posts be put in place as a control point in those remote areas to prevent a situation where after the exit of the present team these marauders can come back. So, these are part of the measures of the government in ensuring peace and stability, not only in Akure North but generally in the states,” the commander stated.
On the more than 32 men suspected to be kidnappers arrested in the state forests, the Amotekun boss said the suspects were nabbed at four local governments of Akure South, Akure North, Ose and Akoko North-East Local Governments, specifically, through the efforts of the Amotekun Rangers in collaboration with other security agencies in the state.
“In recent times, we have an upsurge of criminal activities kidnapping inclusive in Ondo State. The officers and men of the Ondo State security network mobilised additional support from the neighbouring local government and entered into the forest reserves and areas noted for these nefarious activities. In the last week, we were able to arrest 32 suspects for kidnapping that are undergoing different stages of interrogation. We have a total of 58 men that we are parading today.
“Part of these 32 suspected kidnappers are people arrested around Akure North, Akure South, Ose and Akoko North-East local government in the last week. They were smoked out of the forests. All of them were smoked out of the forest reserve areas of the state and around the places where these unfortunate situations are happening.
“As a result of the recent killings in the Akure North LG area, officers and men from all security agencies, including Amotekun, have been parading the area and as I said, normalcy has been restored in those areas. We are talking about the Ago Dada, Ago Oyinbo, Ago Ademekun and its environment,” he concluded.
